Transcripts

Having access to the actual words spoken by the real-life participants in your story can take the authenticity of your script to a whole new level. So, our series of guides to working with different source material moves on to look at writing fact-based screenplays based on transcripts…

What is a transcript?

Transcripts are verbatim records of what was said during official proceedings, such as in law enforcement interviews, government hearings, or in court. They can also come from recorded phone calls, unedited unofficial interviews (such as oral histories), and meetings. Similar to minutes, transcripts are more detailed, as their purpose is to provide an accurate account of what was said.

In the world of screenwriting, you might come across the term “transcript” in a different context. Transcripts of movies are widely available. They are created by someone unaffiliated with the production who watches the film and writes down what happens. You can find some examples here: https://www.simplyscripts.com/movie_transcripts.html

Where can you find transcripts?

This will depend on the jurisdiction. However, copies of transcripts can often be sourced on- and offline from:

  • Courts & tribunals
  • National Archives
  • Library of Congress
  • U.S. Supreme Court
  • PACER (Public Access to Court Electronic Records)
  • Public libraries
  • Local government departments & archives
  • University libraries

How easily you can access transcripts will depend on a.) what it is; b.) when it happened; c.) how the case was resolved; and d.) who was involved.

There are high-profile cases and enquiries of which transcripts are readily available. An example is the enquiry into the Titanic disaster. Similarly, the transcripts of public hearings and meetings are generally available online, as are collections of oral histories. An example is The Oral History Project of the Sam Johnson Vietnam Archive, which contains transcripts of interviews with veterans of the Vietnam War.

However, accessing things like police interviews and more sensitive closed-door proceedings is likely to be a more difficult undertaking.

How can writers work with transcripts?

Firstly, transcripts make excellent research tools. Unlike reports and edited interviews, transcripts are unfiltered, so offer an unadulterated version of events. By reading these transcripts, you can put events into context without bias or media spin.

You get to read how events unfolded and to understand how the real-life participants acted under the pressure of questioning or during a stressful incident. Transcripts can also add (sometimes emotive) personal connection to events. An example is the 9/11 hearings, which included audio of some of those on the aircraft.

Secondly, transcripts are used directly in the narrative. As you’ll see in our examples below, it’s rare to find a film based solely on a transcript (though they do exist).

Instead, it’s more common for the writer to use the transcript to inform the drama or to add authenticity to a particular scene or section of the film. This is especially the case with court transcripts, which are used to enhance the courtroom sequences in legal movies.

As with all types of fact-based material, a certain level of manipulation, truncation, and adaption will be required to maximize the drama and maintain narrative flow.

What about rights issues?

This is a bit trickier than with other types of source material, as while transcripts might be publicly available (or even in the public domain), who owns the rights and how far you’re free to replicate the content is a grey area.

It’s also complicated by the fact that rights concerns are wider than simply figuring out who owns the content. Issues which might come into play include:

  • Confidentiality
  • Privacy
  • Anonymity
  • Rights of publicity
  • Defamation
  • Ethical considerations

The starting point is to contact who created the transcript. This might be the court reporter or transcription service, the court or law enforcement agency, or a government department. It could prove necessary to obtain permission from those involved in the proceedings.

This is one area where seeking legal advice is crucial. If in doubt, treat transcripts as research and fictionalize your story.

Examples of films based on transcripts

We end with a few films which make use of transcripts, so you can get an idea of how filmmakers work with this type of source material (script links or sources where available).

The Trial of the Chicago 7 (2020)

Aaron Sorkin’s film about the fallout from the violence which occurred at the 1968 Democratic convention in Chicago uses the actual court transcripts of the case (which is hard to believe, given the absurdities that unfolded). Read more about the film. Script sources: Script Slug / Deadline

Reality (2023)

The screenplay of this story of a U.S. National Security Agency whistleblower is taken entirely from the official 80-page Federal Bureau of Investigation transcript of the incident. It contains dialogue between the FBI agents and the whistleblower, Reality Winner.

United 93 (2006)

Paul Greengrass’ film offers a real-time account of the events on United Flight 93, one of the aircraft hijacked on 9/11, which crashed in Pennsylvania after passengers prevented the terrorists from carrying out their planned attack. Among the source material was Air Traffic Control transcripts, as well as passenger and crew phone calls, and the Cockpit Voice Recorder.

Oppenheimer (2023)

This acclaimed biographical drama tells of physicist J. Robert Oppenheimer, who spearheaded the Manhattan Project, which led to the creation of the atom bomb. Based on American Prometheus: The Triumph and Tragedy of J. Robert Oppenheimer by Kai Bird and Martin J. Sherwin, Christopher Nolan’s script and film were informed by other sources, including the transcripts of Congressional testimonies. Script sources: Script Slug / Deadline

Judgement at Nuremberg (1961)

Stanley Kramer’s film dramatizes the 1947 Judges’ Trial, part of the post-World War II Nuremberg Trials. It serves as an example of how transcripts can inspire original drama, as writer Abby Mann took the real-life accounts of Holocaust survivors to create fictionalized survivor testimonies.

The Crucible (1996)

Based on his play of the same name, writer Arthur Miller used a variety of sources for his story of the 1692 Salem Witchcraft trials. These included The Salem Witchcraft Papers, which is a compilation of original court documents, as well as the actual court transcripts.

Sully (2016)

Clint Eastwood’s film fictionalizes events around Chesley “Sully” Sullenberger landing a stricken commercial plane on the Hudson River, saving the lives of all those on board. Hailed as a hero, Sully, and co-pilot Jeff Skiles, later faced an inquiry into their actions. The film is partly based on transcripts from the actual National Transportation Safety Board investigation. Script source: Daily Script

Save Our Souls: The Titanic Inquiry (2012)

Also known as SOS: The Titanic Inquiry, this hour-long TV drama fictionalizes events around the official inquiry into the sinking of the Titanic. Similar to Sully, it asks moral questions about what (if anything) could have been done differently to avert the disaster. Find a clip here.

The Trial of Joan of Arc (Procès de Jeanne d’Arc) (1962)

Another example of how a transcript can form the backbone of a screen story, Robert Bresson’s film uses the actual court transcripts to recreate the 1431 trial of Joan of Arc. It adopts a minimalist style and uses Joan’s own words at the time to convey the drama and highlight her complexity.

Public Hearing (2012)

Finally, if you want an even more extreme example of how a transcript can work as source material for fact-based film, track down this experimental film by James N. Kienitz Wilkins. Here, the transcript is the screenplay, as Wilkins recreates a public meeting about a proposed Walmart, with actors playing the real-life participants.